Total Recall rehash – exit Martians, enter Jessica Biel

Those film fans among you who were sitting in darkened rooms, trembling at the prospect of Hollywood's re-imagining of Paul Verhoeven's 1990 sci-fi romp Total Recall, should rest assured that things look promising for the latest interpretation of Philip K Dick's We Can Remember It for You Wholesale.

First up, Arnold Schwarzenegger has been replaced by Colin Farrell in the role of Douglas Quaid, meaning female leads Jessica Biel and Kate Beckinsale can concentrate on their acting, rather than protecting their shapely backsides from the ex-Governator.

Secondly, the rehash "ditches the Martian storyline from the original pic and instead involves nation states Euromerica and New Shanghai", the Hollywood Reporterexplains.

Brit thesp Bill Nighy is in the frame to play resistance leader "Quatto", which will go down well with the gaunt teen demographic, since the actor has "made a name in the geek community playing a vampire ruler in the Underworld movies".

Helmsman Len Wiseman, also of Underworld pedigree, takes responsibility for ensuring that New Shanghai factory worker Quaid's quest to determine whether or not he's a spy, and if so for which side, trumps the cinematic original.

The totally recalled Total Recall starts shooting in June in Toronto. ®